White Night Fantasy
by Lotus Fantasy
Summary: In a world ruled by vampires, a secret order of humans has arisen to challenge them. They call themselves White Night. Their secret weapon is a boy code-named Fantasy. NaruSasu yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** In a world ruled by vampires, powerful denizens of the dark, a secret order has arisen to challenge them. White Night is organized by humans, but one boy with a potent secret has joined their ranks. Code-named 'Fantasy,' he is their only hope to save their dying world.

This story contains AU, violence, vampirism, yaoi, NaruSasu, minor angst, and blurred lines between 'good' and 'evil.'

Be kind. This is my first _Naruto_ fanfiction.

* * *

There were, she reflected with a smile, benefits to being undead. One need not concern oneself with petty matters such as running out of breath or becoming winded. She could run and run and run and never exhaust herself.

She was not a powerful vampire. Turned but a few months ago, she was still getting used to her new abilities. Most vampires did not settle into their true power for many decades. But she would become an Elder, and then none would be able to challenge her. She would feast on the blood of the weak humans, as was her wont, and become a powerful ruler like her master, the one who had turned her. He was strong and noble, and he'd given her free run of his city as long as she did not challenge him.

Through the streets she practically flew, feet almost not touching the ground. She hadn't fed for two days, and her stomach was beginning to twinge. Vampires could go many months without feeding, but why suffer? Humans abounded, so why not feed on the sheep to her stomach's content? She smiled.

As she rounded a corner in the darkened street, she saw him. Her prey tonight. She could afford to be choosy, and she wanted only the best. He looked young, maybe seventeen. He was made all the more beautiful by moon-pale skin and night-dark hair. It fell in artful-yet-effortless spikes around his face, and oh, his eyes. Deep as the ocean, dark as midnight they dominated his face with limpid, glimmering pools. His eyelashes were so long they brushed his cheeks when he blinked.

She licked her lips and self-consciously patted her hair. She'd always thought herself a comely woman, what with her shiny brown hair and generous curves. But here was a being of true beauty, and it was _such_ a pity he was human. She didn't have the power to turn him, and her master would have punished her, anyway. Stepping out of the shadows, she barred his path with a small smile.

"Where are you going so late at night, pretty lamb?"

He came up short with a little frown. Moonlight glinted off his eyes. "Hunting," he replied.

She laughed, low and sultry. "You, hunting? I'm afraid you'll be the prey tonight, little dove." While he looked deep into her eyes, she unleashed the persuasive power for which her kind were renowned.

He sighed. "You're a very weak vampire," he said, shaking his head. "But there'll be one less vampire on the streets of this city."

Her eyes returned to normal, and she stared at him, shocked. Why hadn't it worked? "Who are you?" she demanded.

A cold smile quirked up his lips. "They call me Fantasy." Like a shadow, black wings appeared behind him.

Her eyes widened, and she staggered back several steps. "A Death Angel!" she choked.

He followed. "We prefer Dark Angel," he said in a deathly still voice. "Don't run, vampire. You can't escape me."

Those shadowy, smoke-like wings spread wide behind him. His eyes turned red, and she knew no more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary:** In a world ruled by vampires, powerful denizens of the dark, a secret order has arisen to challenge them. White Night is organized by humans, but one boy with a potent secret has joined their ranks. Code-named 'Fantasy,' he is their only hope to save their dying world.

This story contains AU, violence, vampirism, yaoi, NaruSasu, minor angst, and blurred lines between 'good' and 'evil.'

Be kind. This is my first _Naruto_ fanfiction.

* * *

The leader of White Night looked like a young woman in perhaps her late twenties. Many people wondered how she'd gotten the job so young, but it was rumored she'd taken over from her family. No one knew for sure, and none were brave enough to ask her. She had a reputation for having a quick temper and a vicious right hook.

Fantasy, the secret weapon of White Night, was the only one who knew she was not as young as she looked. Haruno Sakura was, in fact, a Elder vampire. She was probably one of the oldest vampires in the world, several thousand years old. He didn't know what had spurred her to create White Night, but she relentlessly pursued her undead brethren. She killed them as mercilessly as any human, and when he'd asked her why she'd replied,

"Because everything must exist in balance. In nature, wolves would never wipe out their prey. Vampires are destroying the balance."

Uchiha Sasuke, code-named Fantasy, was one of the youngest Dark Angels ever to descend to Earth. Apparently Sakura was well-respected by other angels, and to aid in her efforts they'd sent Sasuke to her. Dark Angels were the only beings in existence who could kill vampires without the normal tools. The Uchiha family were particularly adept at this, an ability known as Soul-Recall. Sasuke was too young to have mastered it, but he had an arsenal of other weapons at his command. Such as Banish, which worked fine on lesser vampires.

Though Sasuke didn't particularly care who knew he was an angel, Sakura had requested he tell no one in White Night. They knew him only as Fantasy, and it was strictly forbidden for any in the order to know each other personally. Too easy to track them down that way, she always said. It suited Sasuke fine. He didn't care about humans.

As he walked into to the dojo that doubled as White Night's headquarters, he glanced around at the humans still here. Some of them were White Night members, some simply here to work out and train. They were engaged in various training exercises with each other, all save for one. Code-name Lotus.

Lotus was tall, broad, golden-haired, and blue-eyed. He had a peculiar, laid-back attitude about killing vampires (something at which he excelled). He was loud and abrasive, and for whatever reason the other humans loved him. Flocked to him like flies around a midden heap. Lotus annoyed the hell out of Sasuke. At the moment he was lounging on a bench, drinking something, looking like he owned the place. These humans treated the numbers of vampires they killed like a game, and so far none of them had killed anywhere near the number Lotus had. Sasuke included.

Ignoring them all, he headed for the back where Sakura kept her office. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lotus rise. Grinding his teeth, he tried to walk faster without looking like it. Even so, Lotus' long-legged stride managed to carry him into Sasuke's path and cut him off in the hall.

"Back from a hunt?" the human asked the obvious, grinning.

Sasuke glared at him. The man had a strange set of scars on his face--they almost looked like whiskers. "What else would I be doing here?" he snapped.

Still grinning, he shrugged. "Seeking the pleasure of my company?"

Sasuke snorted. "No one would seek that." He tried to shoulder past the man, but his slight frame was against him for once. Unlike vampires, angels were not ridiculously physically strong.

Lotus laid a hand on Sasuke's chest, simply and easily keeping him from moving forward. "Yanno, if I didn't know better I'd say you avoid me and glare at me because you have a crush on me, Fantasy."

The absurdity of the comment made Sasuke's lips twist into a smirk. An annoyed smirk. "Don't make comments like that around other people," he said. "You'll confirm your stupidity." Because, infuriatingly enough, Sasuke _did_ have a crush on the man. He was strong and talented and fucking gorgeous.

Even more infuriatingly, Lotus just laughed. "I love your vicious barbs. How did your hunt go? Did you kill her?"

Another annoying thing about the man. He labored under the impression that Sasuke was a little boy and shouldn't be doing such a dangerous job as a White Night Hunter. "Of course I did," he seethed, trying again to push past the man. This time Lotus let him.

Lotus chuckled. "Sorry. I can't help but look at you and remember you're just a kid."

Sasuke growled under his breath. He wanted to hit the man in the face and scream, "No I'm not! I'm a Death Angel, youngest son of the most powerful family of Death Angels!" Of course, he couldn't so he didn't. Drawing in a slow breath, he let it out just as slowly. "I'm fine," he snapped. He knew Lotus wouldn't let it go, wouldn't believe he wasn't injured somehow, that he'd gotten away unscathed.

Besides, by human standards Sasuke was an old man. He was almost one-hundred years old. For an angel, that was painfully young, but Lotus didn't need to know that, did he? The man tagged along all the way to Sakura's office, and it took all Sasuke's control not to snap at him to get lost.

"Ah, you're both here," Sakura said. "Close the door, Lotus. I have a job, and this time I want you two to parter for it."

Sasuke froze, nearly swallowing his tongue as he stared at her. "_What_?" he managed to choke out. How was he supposed to conceal his heritage with Lotus tagging along?

Lotus, however, grinned from ear to ear. "Finally giving in, eh?" he said. "Yanno Fantasy, I've been begging her _forever_ to let me be your partner."

"Save your panting for the bedroom," Sakura said dryly.

Sasuke blushed furiously, glaring at the woman. "Like anyone would want to be his partner," he growled.

She ignored them both. "The simple truth is, I need you both on this one. The target is an Elder named Orochimaru. Sources have discovered his region extends over most of northern Japan, and he's responsible for the deaths or turning of over ten-thousand humans. He's also one of the oldest known Elders."

"Whoa, why are you assigning an Elder to Fantasy?" Lotus immediately protested. "Small fry, sure he handles 'em well enough. But an Elder?"

Before Sasuke could belt the man, Sakura slid a file to them and continued. "Plainly put, you need him for bait. Orochimaru favors the young and beautiful. Fantasy is exactly his favored victim." She looked at Sasuke and smiled. "Sorry, precious."

Rooted to the spot, glaring furiously, Sasuke wished he was old enough and strong enough to perform the Soul-Recall on her right this moment.

Lotus was glaring, too. "I can't believe you're asking him to do something so fucking stupid and dangerous."

Sakura rose to her feet. She was only about a centimetre shorter than Lotus, and she gave him an icy look. "We must all do what we must," she said in a clear, warning tone. "No one is favored in White Night, not even Fantasy. We're here for one purpose and one purpose only. You, of all people, should know that."

Something passed between them. Sasuke couldn't begin to define what it was. But Lotus finally gave, looking away from her and transferring his glare to Sasuke. But it softened instantly into obvious worry. It annoyed Sasuke immensely. Almost as much as it pleased him. He made sure only to show the annoyance.

"When do we leave?" he muttered.

Sakura handed him an envelope. Inside were two plane tickets. "Tonight."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary:** In a world ruled by vampires, powerful denizens of the dark, a secret order has arisen to challenge them. White Night is organized by humans, but one boy with a potent secret has joined their ranks. Code-named 'Fantasy,' he is their only hope to save their dying world.

This story contains AU, violence, vampirism, yaoi, NaruSasu, minor angst, and blurred lines between 'good' and 'evil.'

Be kind. This is my first _Naruto_ fanfiction.

* * *

Sasuke instinctively knew the plane flight would be torture. He ground his teeth in irritation. He could have gotten himself to northern Japan much faster than a plane, but stupid Sakura had to pair him with equally stupid Lotus. He'd practiced avoiding the human to perfection, and now he would have to share a relatively small space with him for several hours. He was beyond furious with Sakura. She'd held Lotus back while Sasuke left, and his sharp hearing had caught her say,

"Look after him, Lotus. You need him for this one, but . . . this Elder is way out of his league. Just remember, it'll be _your_ ass handed to you if anything happens to him."

And Lotus, the idiot, had agreed quite solemnly that he would look after the kid. Sasuke ground his teeth just thinking about it. Boarding the plane, he was pleased to see Lotus was not there yet. He handed his single black bag to the captain, who was also a member of White Night (unsurprising since this was Sakura's private jet). He picked a seat and immediately reclined, closing his eyes and flinging one arm over them. He was going to do his damnedest to ignore Lotus the whole flight.

The human boarded only a minute later, jabbering away at the captain the instant he entered the jet.

"Fantasy-san is already here," he heard the captain say, "so if you'll take your seat, Lotus-san, we'll take off at once."

"Ah, he beat me here, eh? Do your thing, captain, sorry for the short notice!"

The captain made some ingratiating reply, then Sasuke heard Lotus barge noisily into the cabin.

"Fan-ta-sy!" he all but sang. "Don't tell me you're asleep already, chibi?"

Sasuke managed not to react, but it was a near thing. Lotus didn't seem to care that he could have awakened Sasuke-nor that he was keeping him awake, now.

"Can't believe Sakura-chan is letting us take her private jet. Talk about the VIP treatment, ne?"

_I can't believe you're so familiar with her._ Sasuke couldn't imagine the pink-haired Elder letting a human get so comfortable with her. She was known for her violent temper. Even he, a young Dark Angel, maintained at least some level of respect.

"I want to talk to you about the mission," Lotus was already going on. "It's going to be a really dangerous one, this time. We're not just after some small fry, you know. This is an Elder, and Sakura-chan told me he could be almost as old as her. Possibly even older. Oi, chibi, are you listening?"

"Trying hard not to," Sasuke muttered.

Obnoxious super-human hearing, Lotus heard. "I'm serious," he said, and Sasuke was a little startled to hear how serious he was. "Sit up, Fantasy. There are some things we have to discuss."

Annoyed now for a plethora of reasons, Sasuke dropped his arm and sat up to level Lotus with his frostiest glare. "First, I'm not your subordinate," he growled. "Second, I'm not a kid. Third, I've been taking care of myself for a _long_ time, longer than you ever will. And fourth, what the hell makes you so much more qualified to take on an Elder?"

Lotus raised an eyebrow. "How about about a thousand years more experience than you?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Save it for your fan-club."

"You. Can't. Take on an Elder by yourself, Fantasy. If we just jump into this without a plan, we'll fail. This Elder has killed tens of thousands of humans during his life. Do you really want to end up on that list because you're too hot-headed to listen?"

Sasuke's jaw clenched. Damn him, the man had a point. Though it grated to hear Lotus say it, Sasuke _couldn't_ take on an Elder by himself. He wasn't as powerful as his older brother, who was by now a master of Soul-Recall. "Fine," he conceded (it was almost physically painful), "but I'm not going to just be bait. I'll help you take him down."

To his horror, Lotus reached out and touched his face with a smile. It was a gentle, tender smile. "I love it when you're like this," he said softly. "All fiery and determined."

Sasuke jerked back, knowing he must be blushing like mad, cursing his moon-pale complexion and Lotus. "D-don't change the subject," he snapped, also cursing the slight stutter. He would rather die than show Lotus how he felt about him.

Fortunately, Lotus burst into laughter and leaned back. "Gomen, gomen. All right, you can help take him down. 'Sides, I might need it. Been awhile since I took on an Elder."

Sasuke blinked. "You've taken on an Elder before?" he couldn't help asking, looking at the man, trying to gage his seriousness.

"A few times," he confirmed modestly. "It never really went well, but hey, I got the job done. I'm sure having you at my side will make all the difference."

The tone of his voice and the confidence of his words made Sasuke blush again, which made his scowl come back full force. He turned away from Lotus, once more covering his eyes with one arm. "I'm tired," he grumbled.

"Yeah, me too," the blonde man agreed.

Sasuke heaved a quiet sigh of relief. Hopefully there would be silence for the rest of the flight.

Five minutes later . . .

"Ne, Fantasy, why did you choose that name?"

Sasuke growled. "I didn't."

"Who did?"

Wondering if he could just ignore Lotus and not answer the question, he finally decided the man wouldn't stop pestering him until he gave an answer. "My brother."

"Yeah? Why did he choose that name? He a member of White Night too?"

"No," Sasuke snapped, "he's not. And he chose it because he said me joining was like a White Night Fantasy."

He heard Lotus chuckle. "He sounds like an ass. He much older than you?"

"What makes you think he's older?"

"You act like the youngest."

Sasuke ground his teeth. If this kept up, he would have nothing but little stumps left. And how the hell was he supposed to answer that question? Itachi was almost a thousand years older than him. "A lot older," he finally snapped.

"Figures. Bet he's got a baby brother complex, too. Ne, Fantasy-chan?"

Finally lowering his arm again, Sasuke blasted Lotus with the full power of his iciest glare. "Don't. Call. Me. That."

"Eh? Why not? It suits you."

Rising slowly, mustering all his dignity, Sasuke crossed the short space. Like lightning he jerked his fist back and belted the idiot as hard as he could.

"OW!" Lotus yelped, flailing backward with a hand on his jaw. "What'd you hit me for?"

"I said, don't call me that," Sasuke reiterated. It took monumental self-control not to laugh at the moron. "Hn. Baka." He retreated to his seat.

Lotus gave him a glare that was somewhere between heated and abused puppy. It was ridiculously cute. Sasuke took note: _Maybe I should deck him more often._

"I'm going to call you Ice Princess instead," the man grumped.

Sasuke half rose, fully prepared to repeat the action, but Lotus threw up placating hands.

"Sorry! Just kidding!"

He sat back down.

"So, what's your real name?" came the next question.

Sasuke stared out the window of the plane at the darkened sky. "Asking that is against the rules," he said, voice now lacking most of its heat.

"You tell me yours if I tell you mine?"

"No."

"Oh, come on Fantasy," came Lotus' voice from much closer. "Tell me."

Sasuke nearly jumped out of his skin to find Lotus so close to him, kneeling in the aisle right next to his seat. "No, baka," he growled, but it also lacked heat. Damn it.

Lotus was only a handful of inches away from him, now. "Mine's Naruto," the man purred.

The gleaming cerulean of his eyes was a limpid pool in which Sasuke was drowning. He didn't think he'd ever been so close to the man. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Swallowing thickly, knowing he was blushing again, he lifted one hand and thumped it against Lotus' chest. "I don't want to know it, idiot," he tried to snap. "Get away from me, already."

"Come on, Fantasy-chan," Lotus (Naruto, he though distantly) purred. "You know how long I've wanted to kiss you? Since I found out you're not thirteen."

His lips were bare centimeters away when what he said finally caught up with Sasuke. Eyes widening, he puched the idiot right in the face. Again.

"OWOWOW!" Naruto (he couldn't think of him as Lotus, now) wailed, staggering backward and almost falling on his ass over the chair. "You are such a bastard!"

"I do _not_ look thirteen," Sasuke snarled.

Naruto pouted at him. "Fine, fourteen, but-kidding, kidding!" He shielded his face as Sasuke raised his arm again.

Sasuke dropped back into his seat, just relieved that the spell was broken. He would rather die than admit his crush to the human.

o0o o0o

Snakelike eyes lazily roved out over the city from the balcony. Orochimaru, the third oldest vampire left in existence, smiled to himself. He was so old he no longer remembered who he'd been before, including his name. What did it matter? He'd been a weak human. Now he was a god among mortals. Untouchable. And the only ones who could cause him harm were too damn lazy to try.

It had been some time since he found prey suited to his particular tastes. The pickings were slimmer now. Perhaps it was time to leave Japan and try another continent. There were fewer vampires in the Americas, so there would be more humans. His lips stretched into a curve-too cold and rigid to be a true smile.

A strange scent wafted to him on the slight, cool breeze. It was late to be catching a new scent, but this one enticed him instantly. Young. Fresh. Wild. Untouched. And . . . something he couldn't quite recognize. He either had never smelled it before, or it had been too long since last catching it. He leaped lightly from his balcony and drifted through the streets in no real hurry. An immortal vampire as old as he had long lost the need or desire to hurry.

To the passing observer his movements would seem almost idle as he followed the scent that teased him. As he drew nearer and nearer its source it seemed more and more familiar to him. Phasing into the shadows, he rounded a corner and saw it. Him, rather. And in an instant he knew what he was smelling.

The Death Angel was so painfully beautiful Orochimaru was rooted to the spot. He looked less than a century, which to his knowledge would make this child the youngest angel ever to descend to Earth by about three hundred years. His inky black hair and eyes were darker than shadow, and his skin was delicate and pale as the moon. An unearthly combination. How could anyone look at this creature and not see at a glance he was no pathetic human? He licked his lips. Here was one who would satisfy his appetites for millennia. He stepped out of the shadows, taking his corporeal form again. He made a soft sound, causing the Death Angel to whirl. His gleaming eyes flashed with fire and challenge, not even a hint of fear marring their surfaces. No fear-scent, either. Orochimaru practically shuddered at the thought of possessing this boy. Pale, full lips peeled away from pearly white teeth in a vicious grin.

Delicious.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary:** In a world ruled by vampires, powerful denizens of the dark, a secret order has arisen to challenge them. White Night is organized by humans, but one boy with a potent secret has joined their ranks. Code-named 'Fantasy,' he is their only hope to save their dying world.

This story contains AU, violence, vampirism, yaoi, NaruSasu, minor angst, and blurred lines between 'good' and 'evil.'

Be kind. This is my first _Naruto_ fanfiction.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto watched from the shadows as the vampire Elder revealed itself. He was very tall and thin, with freakish snake-eyes that devoured Fantasy where he stood. The boy had a foolishly fearless sneer on his face, lips peeling back in a cold rictus. He drew into his hands his weapon of choice: a double-edged katana.

"C'mon, vampire," he growled, the tip of the katana swinging down in a slow, graceful arc. His control was perfect. "Let's dance."

The Elder's face lit up in a mix of delight, lust, desire, and a sick kind of glee. Naruto clenched his teeth, already imagining the foul creature's life bleeding away. In all his long years he'd never sensed such a perverse aura. Here was a vampire who killed and not only took delight in it, he absolutely reveled in it.

"My pleasure, pretty one," the Elder purred. He held open his arms as though planning to embrace Fantasy.

The onyx-eyed boy's grin widened a little, and he leaped forward in a dazzling display of speed and agility. Naruto, who had never seen Fantasy fight before, was surprised. He'd seen other humans, partnered with them. None of them could match this boy's skill. Damn. No wonder Sakura kept giving him jobs and lesser vampires kept falling before him. Orochimaru, however, reacted with equal speed, and in his hands appeared a blade of moving shadow. Naruto winced. He was a shadow master.

Metal and shadow met, blade striking blade with a strange, hollow sound. As if the shadow were swallowing it. Fantasy grimaced and allowed his momentum to unlock their blades, fading to the side only to pivot and whip his katana around at the Elder's back. This time Orochimaru simply phased his body into shadow so the silver blade passed right through him. He turned to face Fantasy, licking his pale, bloodless lips.

"Such tricks won't work on me, boy," he said in his raspy voice. "Come; let me feed from you. Let me get drunk on your sweet taste." His dark eyes swirled with shadow.

The tip of Fantasy's katana went down, striking the street with an achingly clear note. Naruto watched in alarm as the boy's eyes went hazy. Was he falling under the vampire's power already? Fantasy took a step forward, and triumph filled Orochimaru's expression. He moved forward as well, and Naruto saw his opening. Summoning a blade of shadow, he leaped forward and plunged it into the Elder's back.

Orochimaru stiffened, eyes widening in shock. Like lightning Fantasy struck, his katana snapping up right across the Elder's face. Orochimaru phased into shadow only to reappear a dozen feet away, black blood oozing down his face. The blade of shadow skewering him was gone. He cackled laughter, the sound bubbling out of him like tar.

"You didn't come alone, pretty. Ah, it makes no difference. But your friend, he is very skilled." He turned his wide-mouthed grin on Naruto. "I was beginning to think others like you were all gone. What is your name?"

"You won't live long enough to remember it," Naruto said, folding his hands behind his head. "I'm known as Lotus."

"A White Night lapdog? I expected better. No matter. It will make your death all the sweeter."

A flurry of darkness and the Elder was on the move again. Naruto didn't waste any time. He'd known this would be quite a fight. Shadow clashed with shadow, and Naruto was relieved to find this Elder wasn't significantly stronger than him. Hissing like an angry cat, Fantasy leaped back into the fray. Naruto couldn't help grinning. Nothing like forcing an enemy to fight a battle on two fronts. The Elder, damn him, was doing a remarkable job of holding his own.

It couldn't go on like this. Naruto's mind raced, wondering how much he dared do right now. He didn't want Fantasy to learn his true identity this way. He knew Orochimaru already sensed it, and he was grateful the Elder hadn't said anything too incriminating. But how much longer would he hold his undead tongue? Fantasy had already seen him summon a blade of shadow, just like Orochimaru. The kid wasn't stupid. He might piece things together on his own. But he'd rather tell the boy on his own terms.

Fantasy sprang away from an upward swipe of the Elder's blade, landing lightly on his feet with one hand on the pavement. Just like a cat. His eyes narrowed, and he straightened. Naruto had his hands full so he couldn't give the boy his full attention, but Fantasy made a strange gesture with his hands and brought them together in a quick motion. His eyes went blood red, pupils breaking into three smaller sections. Naruto almost got clobbered for staring.

_Shit, that's Celestial magic. It looks like Banish._

Orochimaru abruptly stiffened, eyes widening. His teeth audibly clacked together, and he turned toward Fantasy with a snarl. "Enough, little boy." He held up one hand.

"Look out-!" Naruto yelled, already skidding toward the Elder.

Fantasy managed to dodge the blast of shadow magic that would have torn a human into pieces, but only barely. It skimmed over one shoulder, peeling away his black hoodie and burning over his skin. The boy let out a pained growl, rolling into a crouch. His eyes were black again, and he was panting. He paused barely an eyeblink before he was up again, just as Naruto reached the Elder. Orochimaru phased out before he could strike, and when he reappeared again he was right in front of Fantasy. His hand lanced forward, landing palm-down on Fantasy's chest.

It was all very quiet. The Elder made not a sound, though Naruto could sense energy tingling so fiercely it set his teeth on edge. Fantasy, brought up short by the unexpected attack, went rigid, eyes opening wide. The dim street lights reflected off the black, causing them to glitter. His lips parted in a tiny, hitching gasp, and he collapsed as though his spine had been severed, eyes fluttering shut.

Orochimaru, mouth stretched wide and thin in a twisted smile, faced Naruto. "Now, what shall we do next?"

Naruto gritted his teeth. "Now you die."

The Elder's smile vanished. "You should be my ally, not my enemy. You, who are almost as old as I. What is your name, Elder, and why have you sided with humans against your own kind?"

Naruto felt his canines lengthen. "I may be a vampire," he spat, "but I'm not one of you. I've sworn my life to defeating every last one of you."

Orochimaru hissed laughter. "And when the last of us are gone? Do you suppose the humans will leave you alone then? Oh no, my naive friend. They will forget how you've helped them and turn on you. It has happened before."

Naruto had already considered that. "Maybe it's for the best," he said at length. "I've lived long enough. This is their world. We have no place in it." He looked down at Fantasy, literally aching to go to the boy and make sure he was all right.

Orochimaru followed his gaze. "You don't know what he is, do you? I'm amazed. Can you not smell the difference in his blood?" He stooped, long claws going for Fantasy's neck.

The blade of shadow arced out, but Orochimaru blocked it. His claws sank into Fantasy's white skin, and Naruto did a double take. Humans had rich, red blood. It smelled coppery and bright, a flash of fierce life. From the new wounds on Fantasy's neck flowed blood as metallic as metal, bright silver. It smelled sweeter than a human's blood, even hotter. The blade of shadow vanished and Naruto just stared.

_Angel. He's some kind of angel._

Orochimaru flickered, and Naruto dodged to avoid the blow. Ice and pain exploded in his left shoulder, and he hissed. He could probably defeat this Elder, but right now something else was more important. He had to get Fantasy to safety. Sprinting to the boy's side he scooped him up and, with one last poisonous glare at the Elder, phased into the shadows.

Through darkness he raced, swifter than wind and as silent as the night. Who else in White Night knew Fantasy was an angel? Probably Sakura. That would be why she was so protective of the kid. Probably no one else. Why hadn't Sakura trusted him with this secret? Like her, he was a vampire Elder. In fact, she was only about ten years older than him. One thing was certain. From now on, he would insist that Fantasy remain his partner. White Night had plenty of hunter teams.

No human doctor could be trusted, so Naruto phased back out of the shadows outside a White Night safehouse. It was empty, thankfully, and Naruto hurried inside. He hastily erected a wall of shadow over the door so he would know if any tried to enter and laid Fantasy down on the nearest soft surface. His silver blood sluggishly spilled onto the couch's beige cushion. Ripping open Fantasy's black hoodie and tee-shirt, he winced to see shadow swirling on the kid's skin like a living tattoo. Thank god he was an angel. An attack like that would have killed a human.

Placing his hand over the wound, he assessed the damage. Fantasy was alive, but he was fighting to stay that way. He was freezing cold and every breath was a struggle. Shadow was filling every pore of his being, strangling the life out of him. Fantasy, the damn stubborn bastard, was fighting it with every ounce of his strength. Naruto couldn't help smiling. No wonder he was so madly in love with the kid. So stubborn, so strong, so determined.

"Hang on, kid," he murmured. "This is gonna hurt like hell." Phasing only his hand into shadow, he plunged it into Fantasy's chest.

o0o

From beneath strangling layers of darkness, Sasuke thought he heard Naruto's voice. He was dimly aware of some things, such as movement. He knew he'd been carried to somewhere else. He was so cold he ached, and he was too weak to shiver. Pain made up the essence of his being now, distracting a great deal of his focus. And above all he was aware of shadow, doing its level best to drain all the life from him. It took everything he had just to fight it off, so much that he couldn't wake, couldn't focus on what Naruto said. It sounded grim. A warning? It sounded like some kind of warning. Then, as if before were all just a warm-up, the pain exploded.

Ten, fifteen, twenty times it magnified, white-hot agony that immediately scoured away the cold. Sasuke's mind screamed in protest, unable to swim in this wave, unable to find a place to balance, to right himself, to find his center and hold firm. He was drowning, he was being choked and smothered, he was being broken in half, torn into tiny pieces. He was breaking, oh god he was breaking, he was losing focus and strength and the fight-

o0o

Moving shadow swarmed up Naruto's arm as he continued drawing it out of Fantasy. The poor kid was thrashing and writhing now, tears squeezing out of his tightly-closed eyes. The shadow seemed reluctant to relinquish its stranglehold on the angel, and it was beginning to tell. Fantasy's struggles were weakening, his heartbeat growing erratic, his breaths coming in faint gasps. The strength was being pulled out of him along with the darkness. His skin was losing color, and then he stopped moving at all.

"Hang on, kid," Naruto whispered. "I'm almost done."

o0o

The pain stopped. Like a limb being severed from his body it just stopped. Leaving him cold and gasping, so weak he could barely draw breath. It was easier not to try breathing. Surely he could go without breathing for awhile. Just awhile, until he felt stronger again. There, that was better. He felt himself drifting, and he allowed it. Sleep sounded wonderful. He felt himself moving, realized someone had put an arm around his shoulders and lifted him up a bit.

"C'mon, Fantasy-chan." Naruto. "Just a few deep breaths and it'll get easier. Breathe, baby. C'mon . . ."

His pleading, cajoling tone might have made Sasuke smile. Even the use of annoying nicknames couldn't make him react anymore. _I'll breathe in a bit. Just let me rest now._ A warm hand cupped his jaw, a finger running over his lips to part them. The single digit pushed into his mouth, forcing his teeth open. Sasuke was beginning to feel lightheaded. Sleep beckoned closer. The finger pushed farther back, so far back that he gagged and started choking. Then, despite the fact that it hurt, he couldn't stop the urge to breathe. He sucked in deep lungfuls of air, the spots clearing from behind his eyelids.

"That's it," Naruto whispered encouragement. "It's getting easier now, isn't it? Just like I promised."

It was. Each breath came more smoothly than the last. Even the pain from it was beginning to dim. Eventually he felt strong enough to lever open his eyes. He was instantly drowning in cerulean, and he closed his eyes again. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

With monumental effort, Sasuke managed to sit up. He opened his eyes again and looked around. "I meant how did we get here. I remember the Elder attacking me."

"Oh. I ran. Really fast."

Sasuke gave him a flat look. Something warm and wet trickled down his neck, and he finally noticed the dull throb of pain. Frowning, he reached up and touched the source. His fingers came away smeared with his blood. He raised an eyebrow. So much for keeping that secret. He didn't have to look up to know Naruto was watching him.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Dropping his hand to his lap, Sasuke stared straight ahead for a time. "_Because Sakura told me not to,"_ sounded kinda . . . lame. So he flashed Naruto a Look. "You never asked."

"Oh, come on," Naruto growled. "Don't you think this is a pretty big secret?"

"And what about you?" Sasuke retorted. "Summoning shadow isn't exactly a parlor trick, is it? Why didn't you tell me you're a vampire?"

Naruto blinked. He didn't flush-it was physically impossible. Then he shrugged, looking uncomfortable, scratching the back of his head. "It's awkward table conversation?" he offered. Then, at Sasuke's glare, "I'm in White Night. I kill vampires for a living. How am I supposed to tell my human cult-members I'm one of the bad guys?"

"_Are_ you one of the bad guys?" Sasuke asked, voice soft.

For a moment their eyes locked, onyx and cerulean clashing. Then Naruto sighed and looked down. "Would I really be helping you if I were? After Sakura founded White Night, I was the first member she recruited."

Sasuke stared at him. "You're an _Elder_?"

Another uncomfortable look. "Heh, yeah, I guess I am." Then he grinned. "And you? Black or white wings?"

Sasuke glared. "Black, idiot."

Naruto edged a little closer. "A baby Death Angel. You turned me on, before. Now you make me crazy."

As Sasuke hauled off and belted the idiot again, he wondered if Naruto was cracked in the head. He kept trying to create a mood, then he had to go and ruin it by insulting Sasuke. Unfortunately, he was too weak to do little more than rock the man. Still, Naruto gave him a ridiculously wounded expression.

"Why do you keep hitting me?" he whined.

"Hn. Baka." Sasuke rose and found his legs shaky but strong enough to hold him. Naruto watched him, but he ignored the man. "I'm hungry. And cold."

"I'll get you warm," Naruto offered at once, grabbing Sasuke and holding him against his broad chest.

Really, why did he have to be so ridiculously big and strong? He pushed ineffectually against him, trying to twist free. "Let go of me, baka. I'm hungry."

"Mm, me too . . ."

It was only then that Sasuke realized how intense Naruto's focus was. He froze. Here he was, a very young angel, trapped in the arms of an Elder. Naruto could overpower him without a struggle, and he, Sasuke, was bleeding. Even humans knew how powerful the lure of angel blood to a vampire. It was said one taste had them addicted. Banish would do little more than daze Naruto.

"Let go of me," he said quietly.

"Nn, Fantasy . . . you have no idea how much I want to drink you right now," Naruto purred, nuzzling Sasuke's ear.

Sasuke stiffened when he felt something hard dig into his hip. Naruto was _aroused_? Grinding his teeth, Sasuke wriggled until he was facing Naruto. Red was beginning to tint the bright blue of his eyes. Making sure his glare was full-power, he brought his knee up as hard as he could between the man's legs.

Naruto crumpled with a choked whimper.

Sasuke stepped away from him, headed for the bathroom. Closing and locking the door (poor protection, but hopefully Naruto was in better control than he looked), he examined the wound in the mirror. Four shallow gashes. Caused by a vampire's claws, obviously, or they would be healed by now. Grabbing a towel off the counter he got it wet and began dabbing at the blood.

"God damn it Fantasy!" Naruto yelled. "Just 'cause I'm undead doesn't mean that doesn't hurt!"

"It was _supposed_ to hurt, idiot!" he yelled right back. With the blood cleared away he could see the damage. There wouldn't be so much as a mark by tomorrow. Locating the first-aid kit, he found a roll of bandages and a wide gauze patch. Holding the patch to the wound, he held it in place with the bandages and secured it with a strip of tape. Satisfied, temptation removed, he threw the towel in the sink and filled it with hot water until most of the blood washed away.

Naruto was waiting for him right outside the door. The red was gone from his eyes. "I'm sorry, Fantasy-chan," he said, and he sounded contrite. "I didn't meant to scare you."

That grated every bit as much as the 'chan.' Sasuke glared at him as he shoved past the vampire. "You didn't scare me!" he snapped. "And stop calling me that!"

"What should I call you? You won't tell me your real name, and until you do I'm gonna call you Fantasy-chan."

Sasuke decided his eyes had been playing tricks on him. This childish idiot couldn't be an Elder. "It's Sasuke!" he hissed.

And found himself glomped. "Sasuke-chan!" the man sang. "That suits you!"

Sasuke fully intended to deck the idiot again, but Naruto dashed past him. "I'll make you something to eat, then you should sleep. Anything in particular sound good, Sasu-chan?"

_Your head on a platter?_ Sasuke thought viciously. Deeper down, he privately enjoyed the man's attention. He knew for a fact Naruto wasn't this friendly and familiar with anyone else in White Night. Though he was considered boisterous and good-natured, he held everyone else at a careful distance. And why wouldn't he? He would outlive them all.

Quelling those thoughts, Sasuke followed him into the kitchen. That had been the reason he'd held Naruto at a distance, coldly rebuffing his flirtations. He had even more reason, now, to rebuke Naruto. A vampire and an angel could never be together.

They were born to be enemies.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary:** In a world ruled by vampires, powerful denizens of the dark, a secret order has arisen to challenge them. White Night is organized by humans, but one boy with a potent secret has joined their ranks. Code-named 'Fantasy,' he is their only hope to save their dying world.

This story contains AU, violence, vampirism, yaoi, NaruSasu, minor angst, and blurred lines between 'good' and 'evil.'

Be kind. This is my first _Naruto_ fanfiction.

* * *

Naruto prowled around the perimeter of the safehouse, eyes drinking in the darkness. It had been a long, _long_ time since he'd met anyone who stirred him up inside. Being undead had peculiar side effects, including, it seemed, killing one's emotional drive. He hadn't fallen in love in centuries. Millennia. Fooled around, sure. Connected with anyone? No. Most humans were afraid of vampires, and most vampires were megalomaniacs who wanted power or mindless predators who wanted blood. Not his thing, either of them. And falling in love with a human was foolhardy. They were fragile. They died after a handful of decades.

And any human who had any sense didn't want to become a vampire. A lifetime of undeadness? The pits. Naruto knew. He'd been turned . . . a _long_ fucking time ago. And being undead had other effects on the body. Though his heart still beat and circulated blood through his veins, he didn't actually need to breathe. He did so mainly out of habit. His digestive system had disappeared entirely by now, so he had no need to eat. The only function of his body was his heart circulating blood. No vampire could live without a heart. Anything else, meh. Could probably do without.

He sighed. Life. Death. Ugly things. Messy businesses, both of them. Stab a vampire and maybe a few drops of blood would escape (if any at all). Behead him and if the two body parts were reunited they would become reacquainted and the vampire would get up. Cut out a vampire's heart and ruin it and he would stay dead permanently. Being made a vampire was a lot like being resurrected, he thought distantly. The soul returned to the body. Which was why the best way to kill a vampire was Soul-Recall. It forced the soul to leave the undead body and prevented it from ever returning.

Sasuke was too young to perform Soul-Recall.

Ah, Sasuke. A smile curved up Naruto's mouth just thinking about the feisty young angel. So beautiful. So stubborn. So proud. In all his long years, Naruto had never met an angel he liked. They tended to be arrogant and cold. Sasuke was proud but not exactly arrogant, and he was anything but cold. Oh no, that fierce passion of his was all heat and fire. He never would have guessed the boy was a Death Angel. _Of course, I've never met such a young one, either._

And there was another fine mystery. Celestia rarely sent angels to Earth. Why had they sent a mere child? Sasuke was in great peril on Earth. Lesser vampires could be banished. Elders could not. An Elder could kill a young angel. It would be a terrible death, too, causing great trauma to the soul. Naruto shuddered just thinking about it. What a fine mess.

_Figures I would breeze through my undeath without attachment, and then BAM! Fall in love with an angel. I must be an idiot like he keeps telling me. _But he couldn't help it. Sasuke was so damn beautiful. _And damn it, tonight I nearly lost it. _The smell of his blood, it had been so sweet and intoxicating. _Good job, Uzumaki. You can kill him just as easily as Orochimaru. Better not forget that, eh, you dumb bastard?_ He ground his teeth. He didn't get pissed with himself often, but right now he was completely ticked.

His shoulder twinged. He'd almost forgotten the other Elder had tagged him. Ah well. It would heal quickly. Shadow magic affected vampires less than humans or angels. Sasuke would probably be down all day tomorrow. He'd taken one helluva hit. _Feisty little bastard. Never showing a hint of fear. I wonder why he agreed to come to Earth._ A cold breeze stirred the night air.

_I love him, god damn it. And God will damn me, too. Like Sasuke would ever look twice at me. He's just a kid, and I'm a vampire. We could never be together._ His head agreed. His heart ignored him. His heart wanted that angel to want it. To return its affections. Grinning helplessly, he raked fingers through his golden hair. _I'm so fucked. If he was a human, I might just break my own rule and turn him so I could be with him forever._ If, of course, Sasuke agreed.

His cell phone rang. By the ringtone, Sakura. He hit the answer button. "What?"

"Fine greeting. Are you in a bad mood?"

"Not particularly. Whatcha want, boss?"

He heard her snort. "Are you both still alive? Did Sasuke get hurt?"

"Yeah, but he'll recover. Bastard Orochimaru tagged him good."

"I see." A pause. "Is Orochimaru . . . _him_?"

No doubt as to who she meant. Naruto breathed deeply just because he could. "Yeah. It's him. He's uglier now, but it's him."

Another pause, longer this time. "Shit."

"You said it."

"He . . . recognize Sasuke?"

"If you mean that he's an angel, yeah," Naruto confirmed. "And while we're on that topic, why the fuck didn't you tell _me_? Seems pretty important."

A faint sigh. "I was sworn to secrecy, that's why. Sasuke's older brother is more than just protective of him. His family is old and powerful, and they wanted the only one to know to be me. I suppose if you're taking _him_ on, you may as well know."

"He's the one who told me," Naruto said, voice cold. "How do you think I felt, finding out about Sasuke from _him_?"

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I wanted to tell you plenty of times, but . . ."

Naruto subsided. "It's Celestia?"

"Yeah." A short silence. "Did he recognize you?"

"Sasuke?"

"No, but . . . yes."

Naruto chuckled. "Sasuke recognized me as an Elder, yeah. And the snake . . . no. He didn't."

"I see," Sakura said again, and this time she sounded relieved. "I think . . . I think this was a bad idea."

"Now you say that," Naruto said with a soft grin. "Sasuke's on his radar now, Sakura. He won't leave him alone."

"I know. Take care of him, Naruto. He shouldn't even be on Earth. Apparently he insisted."

Naruto laughed out loud at that. "Of course he did. Kid's a little spitfire. I'll watch over him. Way better than I did you."

"How many times to I have to tell you, back then wasn't your fault?" she said, voice hard. "You were just a kid yourself."

"I know you don't like me apologizing, and it's kinda pointless, now." Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the still dark. "I may need you, Sakura. I might not be able to take him on by myself."

"If it comes to that, I'll help," she replied.

"I'm sorry. I know you'd rather not. I'd rather you not, too. But he's _so_ goddamn powerful now. Sasuke cast Banish on him, and it didn't faze him."

"If you need me," she said, "I'll be there."

Naruto heard the slight tremor in her voice. He pretended he didn't, because that's what she would have wanted. "We can take that bastard on together, Sakura. He's got nothin' on us. Our badassness knows no bounds."

She laughed quietly. "_Baka_. Take care of Sasuke. And yourself."

"I will."

She hung up first, and Naruto pocketed his phone again. Orochimaru. One of the three oldest vampires left in the world. The other two, Naruto and Sakura, had both been turned by the same son of a bitch who'd turned Orochimaru. He was long dead, the first vampire Sakura had slain. She'd never lost her fear of him nor his first creation, a man named Makoto. An evil, despicable heartless man who reveled in being a vampire. Naruto wondered vaguely when he'd started calling himself Orochimaru. The two of them had been a vile team, and they had done such unspeakable things to Sakura. She was a pretty girl, with pale blond hair and jade-green eyes.

For her to have to face Makoto again, after over eight-hundred years . . . it was too cruel. _I'll kill him by myself if I can, Sakura. I swear. If I can manage it, you'll never have to see the slimy asshole again. Even if it costs me my life._

**o0o 0o0**

When Sasuke woke, his body ached. Especially his chest. Strange. After Naruto had drawn the shadow out of him he hadn't felt anything more than severely hungry with a slight headache. Rolling onto his stomach, he breathed deeply only to start coughing. _Damn it, it hurts. Why now?_ Pushing himself upright, he pulled the big tee shirt off and looked down at his chest. And blinked. A mass of bruises greeted his eyes, a sickly green darkening to brownish-purple around the edges.

"What the hell?" he muttered, carefully rubbing his chest. Daylight streamed in through the window, then a soft knock on the door distracted him.

"Sasuke?" Naruto's voice called, and the door cracked open. A cautious blue eye leaned around it, then it swung all the way in. "Good, you're finally awake. You slept all day - holy mother of fuck! Jesus, your chest."

Before Sasuke could blink the imposing blond was in his personal space, a large warm hand smoothing over his naked skin. Warmth immediately seeped into him, and it felt good. Hissing in a startled breath, Sasuke jerked back only to fold with a faint groan. God _damn_ it he was sore. Those warm hands now cupped his shoulders, easing him upright.

"Sorry," Naruto murmured. "My fault. You're really not used to being touched, are you?"

Sasuke breathed deeply through his nose until slowly the pain began to lessen somewhat. "Not really," he agreed, a little surprised by the man's - vampire's - tone. Gentle and concerned. Dark angels weren't overly affectionate beings, especially his family. "What do you mean I slept all day? It's morning."

"Yeah, morning the day after I drew the shadow out of you. You slept through yesterday, though I guess I'm not too surprised. That bastard almost killed you."

A bit of an enigma. Orochimaru hadn't seemed like he wanted to kill Sasuke, so why had he? _Maybe he didn't realize I'm too young to fight off a shadow infection on my own?_ He shoved fingers through his black hair. "Don't . . . stand so close," he mumbled, not pleased how soft that came out. Hardly any snap.

For once Naruto just did so without protest. He sat on the edge of the bed, folding his hands and dropping them to rest between his knees. "Listen, Sasuke, there's something you need to know."

Judging by his tone he planned to reveal some sort of secret. _Great. As if last time wasn't shocking enough._ He just looked at the vampire.

"That Elder we fought? His name's Makoto. Or, it used to be. At some point he changed it, obviously."

Sasuke waited, feeling too sore and hungry to demand he come to the point.

"Uh, well . . ." Naruto hedged, now raking back his own hair, "he's bad news. Sakura and I were turned by the same vampire a _long_ fucking time ago, within about two days of each other. We were good friends in the same little village. Makoto had been turned about ten years ago, and for a long time the three of us lived in a big mansion with the asshole that turned us." He went silent for a moment. "Sakura eventually killed him. I helped, and the two of us got the hell outta there. She founded White Night only a few years later and has never lost her hatred for vampires."

Naruto didn't look at him as Sasuke absorbed this information. "What was Oroch - Makoto - like back then?" the young angel asked after a moment.

Naruto lifted his chin to stare out the window. "The same asshole that he is now. He loved killing humans. That bastard murdering vampire who turned us did so to teach Makoto how to do it." He audibly ground his teeth. "I really hated him. But Sakura had a special hatred for him, so I let her do the honors. We would have killed Makoto, too, but he was gone and we just wanted to disappear."

It was a little unsettling to see Naruto like this, Sasuke thought. He looked strangely vulnerable. Much, much more difficult for Sasuke to keep him at a cold distance. He cleared his throat. "He didn't seem to recognize you last night."

"No," Naruto agreed. "I guess I've changed a lot. I used shadow magic to change the color of my hair. It used to be dark, dark brown. Sakura's used to be pale blond. And I don't look twenty anymore."

That was true. Vampires didn't age like humans once they were turned, but after enough time passed they no longer looked young. Not old, just not young. A sort of agelessness. Timeless. Naruto had that look about him. Why hadn't he ever noticed before? "The vampire who turned you, what was his name?"

Finally Naruto looked at him. "Fujita."

Sasuke nodded, satisfied. "I recognize the name. My brother performed Soul-Scream on him."

Naruto blinked. "Shit, _that's_ your brother? It's because of him Sakura was able to kill that bastard."

"Yes. Itachi. He's the strongest Dark Angel. It's expected I'll rise to his level when I'm older. I was able to cast Banish even younger than Itachi when he first learned."

The vampire gave a crooked grin. "Damn, babe. I had no idea you were one of _those_ Dark Angels. Your father's like . . . some high-ass general in Celestia, right?"

Sasuke bristled at the use of an endearment. "Yes. One of the three High Generals. Itachi will take his place on his next birthday."

"I have just one question about all this," Naruto said, sitting up a little straighter. "Why in unholy hell did they send you to Earth? You're just a kid, and that Elder almost killed you last night. Angels are always reluctant to help humans."

"Hmph. I asked. I demanded to be the one sent. Sakura asked my father for help when she learned a powerful Elder lived in Hokkaido, and when I found out I demanded my father let me go. Itachi sided with me and convinced him."

"Damn, really? But why didn't Itachi go? Orochimaru's _way_ older than Fujita was. I have a feeling only Soul-Recall could kill the bastard now."

Sasuke tossed his head to get his bangs out of his eyes. "Itachi learned Soul-Scream and Soul-Recall younger than any angel before him. I want to learn them even younger. Itachi was fifty years older than me when he cast it for the first time."

"_Shit_!" Naruto exclaimed. "I heard that most angels are over three-hundred before they can master it!"

"That's true," Sasuke confirmed, feeling smug. "Itachi's very powerful. I want to surpass him."

Naruto gazed at him a moment, then rose and sat down much closer. "Sasuke, you can't use this mission as a . . . fuck, you can't treat this like some sort of competition with big brother. That attitude will get you killed. Orochimaru is _powerful_. Way fucking more powerful than you right now."

Annoyed, Sasuke climbed off the bed, movements stiff. "I'm going to take a shower. I feel gross. Is there any food in this place?"

"Sasuke -"

"If not, I'll go out."

"Damn it, Sasuke -"

"Shut up," Sasuke said quietly. "You don't have a fucking clue what it's like in Celestia, so shut up."

Naruto closed his mouth. His eyes seemed darker than usual. "Fine. I'll make you some breakfast. But we aren't done talking about this."

"Yes we are," Sasuke muttered under his breath, stalking into the bathroom and locking the door.

In the shower, he turned the water up as hot as he could handle and just stood under the spray with his head bowed. Strange morning. Hearing some of Naruto's past was . . . troubling. It made it harder to hold the vampire at a cold distance. To hear how he'd suffered made it all too personal. Too close. _I'd rather he remain just a handsome near-stranger._ Learning his name had been the start. The beginning. _If I'm not careful, I'll get in way over my head way too fast. I'm here to learn. That's all. Not get attached to a fucking _vampire_, damn it._ He squeezed his eyes shut.

Celestia was a strange place to grow up. It was the 'light' to Earth's 'dark'. Of the two kinds of angels, White and Dark angels, Sasuke had never felt he would rather be a White angel. Even though Dark angels were cold and formal and never exhibited any kind of warmth. As a result, Naruto's friendliness seemed foreign and was wholly unwelcome.

Or more appropriately, too welcome.

Washing off turned out to be a chore. He couldn't lift his arms up to wash his hair for very long, it aggravated the ugly bruise. It took him three times longer than it would have normally, and by the time he finished he felt tired again and even more sore. He dried off and dressed in baggy black jeans and a loose black sweater. Then he padded downstairs barefoot, appreciatively breathing in the aroma of sausage and waffles. In Celestia there was no need to eat. One of the many things he preferred about Earth. Eating was something of a decadent necessity.

Naruto smiled at him. "There you are. Hope you're hungry. I made enough for an army."

Sasuke didn't reply as he sat down, but he ate about enough for an army. It tasted delicious. Naruto just watched him with a small smile on his face. Then, when Sasuke put his dishes in the sink, the vampire suddenly loomed up behind him and wrapped strong arms around the angel's thin waist.

"Let me put something on that bruise. It looked really painful."

Though his heart jumped at the sudden proximity, Sasuke managed to twist slowly enough not to hurt himself. He shoved at the vampire's broad chest with a forearm. "I can do it myself."

Suddenly Naruto's brilliant blue eyes seemed to swirl with color and an enticing darkness, inviting Sasuke to come drown in them. Why resist, those eyes murmured? Allowing Naruto to do it was easier. Then Sasuke blinked, the world tilted slightly, and his eyes widened in alarm. He shoved with all his strength while wrenching his whole body backward.

"Fuck you!" he snarled, skittering away from the Elder. "Don't you dare use that on me!" A weaker vampire would never have been able to use that persuasion on an angel, even such a young one. If he'd ever needed proof of Naruto's power, he'd just received it. _He probably wasn't really trying, either. If he wanted to hold me, I probably couldn't have escaped._ To his chagrin, that thought made his heart race in fear. He made sure it didn't show.

Naruto sighed and didn't follow Sasuke. "Sorry. You're just so damn stubborn. It won't kill you to let me help you, yanno."

Quickly enough his heart started to slow. Lifting his chin a little, Sasuke glared up into cerulean eyes. "Fine, you can help me. But don't _ever_ use that on me again, or I'll fucking rip your dick off and choke you with it."

The smile Naruto gave him was chastened. "All right. I promise. And I _am_ sorry."

Sniffing, Sasuke turned and headed for the living room. While he waited for Naruto, he closed his eyes and concentrated. _Listen, body. You will _not _get excited that he'll be touching you. All he's doing is treating your bruises. You will not enjoy the touch, understand?_ When he felt confident his body had gotten the message, he gripped the hem of the sweater only to remember how much it hurt to raise his arms. Resisting the urge to hiss in annoyance, he sat on the couch and decided Naruto could just push the shirt up out of the way.

Soon Naruto appeared, carrying a little jar. He stopped by the couch and gestured. "Why don't you lay back? It'll be easier."

Sasuke obeyed, making room so the vampire could perch on the edge of the couch. Naruto unscrewed the lid of the jar, and Sasuke watched him dip his fingers into a pale green gel. It smelled a little sweet and slightly herbal. Then Naruto pushed the sweater up, exposing Sasuke's chest. His fingers made contact with skin, and Sasuke flinched a bit at the unexpected cold.

"Sorry," Naruto murmured, beginning to smooth the gel in a circular motion.

It hurt at first. Even light pressure on the bruise hurt. Presently, however, it began to feel warm and numb. And Sasuke immediately wished for the pain back. The moment it disappeared, he realized how good it felt to have the vampire touching him. His hands were warm and very gentle, and Sasuke nearly jumped out of his skin when those fingers brushed over a nipple. When Naruto did it again he knew it was deliberate and sat up.

Or at least tried. Halfway there that large, strong hand pushed him back down. Before Sasuke could blink Naruto loomed over him, cerulean eyes darkening noticeably.

"Please," the vampire whispered. "I want to touch you so much, Sasuke. I've been crazy for you ever since I first saw you."

The words made Sasuke feel far more panicky than the persuasion attempt. Honest emotion was harder to deny, especially since Sasuke's body wanted that too. He just stared up at Naruto as the vampire's face got closer to his, breathing a little too hard, frozen. Why wasn't he trying to get away? Naruto's movements were so slow as he cupped Sasuke's cheek with one hand, it was so hard to feel alarmed. They were bare centimeters apart when the vampire finally stopped, hovering just above the young angel, so much longing and desire in his eyes.

Move. Move up just a tiny bit and kiss him, his body and heart demanded. His head argued fiercely, reminding him in barely coherent syllables that Naruto was a vampire and this was a bad idea no matter how he looked at it and _oh my god he's kissing me -_

Lips landed softly on slightly-parted lips, and Sasuke's eyes widened in shock, even while he wondered why he was shocked. His mind went blank. Only single words flickered across his consciousness. Warm. Dry. Soft. Almost as soft as a falling blossom. Those lips moved gently over his, encouraging some sort of response. Sasuke couldn't move, and Naruto pulled back a little. He looked both disappointed and amused.

"Generally when someone kisses you, you kiss back. Not lie there like an emotionless doll."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I don't remember asking you to kiss me." His voice came out weaker than he would have liked.

The hand still cupping his cheek stroked backward a little, long fingers tangling in Sasuke's inky black hair. "You can give me all the reasons you want," the vampire said softly. "They won't change the way I feel." He caught Sasuke's hand and lifted it to kiss each knuckle. "I'm head over heels for you, baby."

"Don't call me that," Sasuke said automatically.

A quiet chuckle. "Hai, hai."

Sasuke turned his head to the side, away from Naruto's touch. "You're stupid."

Naruto made a wounded sound. "What did I do?"

Sasuke looked at him again. "Why would you fall for a Dark angel?"

Naruto smiled. "You should see yourself through my eyes, babe. You're beautiful. When your temper gets you riled, you get all fiery and hot. You get so passionate about things, you're so fearless and confident. And you're just a baby." His large hand draped over Sasuke's mouth the second it opened to protest. Naruto chuckled again. "Think of it from my view. You're not even a century, and I've been alive over one-thousand years. After awhile you grow accustomed to angels and how they mark time. You're just a kid."

Just because it made sense didn't mean Sasuke had to like it. He glared, but only a little. Then he sighed. "I just get it all the time. I'm the youngest Dark angel in Celestia." Dark angels didn't have children very often because they weren't affectionate. Though they partnered for life, having one child was typically the max. Sasuke's birth had caused a commotion according to Itachi. The only angel who ever exhibited any affection toward the child.

"That doesn't surprise me," Naruto said. He moved the hand still cupping Sasuke's cheek so his thumb could stroke over the angel's lower lip. "For the record, that also doesn't change my feelings for you." He leaned a little closer. "Let me kiss you." A tiny grin. "Properly this time, with you kissing me back."

_Oh god, I'm going to hyperventilate._ Sasuke's addled brain couldn't think of a convincing reason to protest. So those lips landed on his again, and this time his eyes fluttered shut. He didn't know how he was supposed to respond, so he just tried to imitate Naruto's actions. It felt strange and soft and clumsy and . . . just . . . _good_. It was starting to calm the turmoil and near-panic when Naruto's lips parted and he slid his tongue into Sasuke's mouth.

Sasuke jerked back, startled. It jarred him and made his chest scream in protest. Rolling onto his side, he curled his legs up. Naruto's hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Sorry. You're not quite ready for that, I guess."

"And I'm never going to be," Sasuke panted, squeezing his eyes shut. "Get away from me, Naruto. Just . . . please. Go away."

A pause that felt like forever. Then the vampire's surprising heat drew away from him as finally Naruto moved out of his space. He felt a hand briefly ruffle his hair.

"I'll stop for now because you're still getting used to this," the deep voice poured over his senses. "But I'm not quitting, Sasuke. I know you have feelings for me. And I have feelings for you. A whole lot of them."

Sasuke didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He settled on neither and refused to look up or even open his eyes. Eventually Naruto left, and Sasuke heard the front door open and close. He stayed where he was for a long time, breathing deeply and trying not to think about anything. Finally he rose, movements stiff, and headed for the bathroom. Turning on the water in the sink full blast, he closed his eyes. When he opened them they'd gone red, and he bit his finger. Silver beaded on the tip, and he drew a symbol on the mirror.

"Itachi," he said quietly.

The silver blood wavered on the mirror a moment like a mirage, then it vanished. The glass fogged over, then Itachi's face appeared. Sasuke looked quite a bit like him. They both had black hair and black eyes. But Itachi looked much older and far more careworn. His eyes were hard and cold, but his lips turned up in a hint of a smile when he saw Sasuke.

"Little brother," he said in his hushed voice. "I wouldn't have expected to hear from you."

Sasuke looked down for a moment. "I encountered the Elder," he said.

"How did that go? You're still alive, so I suppose you managed to inflict some damage?"

"No," Sasuke admitted, chagrined. He paused. "Did you know Sakura wasn't the only vampire in White Night?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sasuke demanded, glaring at his brother.

Who merely shrugged. "I assumed she would if she found it necessary."

"It became necessary," Sasuke snapped, "when she partnered me with him to take down this Elder. And never mentioned _he_'s an Elder too!"

Itachi almost grinned. "Calm down, little brother. If Sakura trusts him then you have nothing to fear."

Sasuke bristled. "I'm not afraid. It just would have been nice to know that before we entered into combat. It might have changed the whole encounter."

Itachi remained silent for several moments. Then, "His name is Uzumaki, correct?"

"Yeah."

"Yes. He and Sakura are two of the three oldest vampires alive now. The third is the same Elder White Night is after. When Sakura told us of her intentions to send you after Orochimaru, we said only under the condition that either she or Uzumaki accompany you to keep you safe." A slight pause. "Dark angels may not be the most loving beings, but you're ours. I'll be damned if I let some vampire scum kill you."

"I . . . do vampires and angels ever . . . stay together?" Sasuke asked slowly.

Itachi blinked. "Why would they?"

"If they're . . . in love."

Itachi's eyes went dark and seemed to swallow the light rather than reflect it. "Of course not. You are a child of Celestia. When the Elder is dead, you will return here and never see a vampire again. Do you understand, Sasuke?"

To hear spoken the words that he already knew in his head made Sasuke's heart feel peculiarly . . . heavy. "Yes, Itachi."

"Good. If that vampire touches you, I'll perform Soul-Recall on him regardless of the many centuries of service to White Night and Celestia. Now get some rest, little brother. You look exhausted."

Taking a deep breath and feeling vaguely sick, Sasuke nodded and closed his eyes. When he opened them the mirror showed only his reflection and some steam from the hot water. He turned off the faucet and made his way back to the bedroom. As he laid down and tried to sleep, Naruto's words chased themselves around in his mind until he wanted to scream.

_"You can give me all the reasons you want. They won't change the way I feel .__ . . I'm not quitting, Sasuke. I know you have feelings for me. And I have feelings for you. A whole lot of them."_


	6. Chapter 6

It took two days for the ugly bruise to heal. Since bruises tended to disappear overnight, it quickly became a source of irritation to Sasuke. Stuck in a safehouse with Naruto meant he had only one outlet, and he lashed out at the Elder vampire any time he got close. As a result, by the end of day two Naruto was in quite a foul mood and spent a great deal of his time elsewhere. Which left Sasuke alone to practice with his sword and magic abilities - and to reflect.

Not one of his favorite activities, especially since most of his reflection seemed to revolve around a certain blonde-haired idiot. _I don't know why I'm acting like this_, he thought as he performed a series of flawless slash-parry-slash moves with his katana. The slender blade whistled slightly through the air, light glinting off its silvery surface. He paused in a defensive stance.

_There's no reason to alienate him. Until this Orochimaru is destroyed, I have to work with him. That might take longer than I originally thought. _In fact, though he hated to think that way, he wasn't entirely sure he _could_ take on such a powerful Elder with just Banish. However, just like Itachi had helped Sakura kill Fujita, he could help Naruto kill Orochimaru if he could master Soul Scream.

_Easier said than done,_ he thought sourly. Banish had been easy to master. He had no such illusions concerning Soul Scream. Still, the only way he could learn was to try. He'd had Itachi demonstrate for him a few times, and if he could mimic the way it felt with his own power, he should be able to do it. Especially if he went vampire hunting. Straightening, he made his way to his room and carefully sheathed his katana. An angel's blade, imbued with Celestial magic, was more than a mere tool. It was a partner.

Stripping out of his workout clothing, he wiped the perspiration from his face and neck and dressed in his typical hunting garb. Black from head to foot. Even the leather of his sheath had been dyed black. Similarly, the hilt was wrapped in strips of black leather. Belting the sword at his waist, he walked upstairs and climbed out one of the windows to stand on the roof. Like shadows, his black wings extended to their full, impressive length. He folded them behind his back and looked around at the city below.

In his true form, humans couldn't see him. Not that he particularly cared if they could. Their penchant for worshiping Celestial beings as deities always left him feeling vaguely nauseating. _As if that matters to us one bit._ He could sense the presence of both humans and vampires fairly close to the mansion. The vampires were weak, would be easy prey. He tried to detect a stronger one, one that would be able to resist Banish but not Soul Scream. An older one.

One, a voice whispered somewhere in the recesses of his mind, that would be able to hurt him if he failed to master the spell.

Naruto wouldn't approve, but Sasuke doubted he'd learn in anything but a life-and-death fight. With his angelic blood on the line.

He found one. Wings blacker than night spread open, and Sasuke pushed off the roof. Flying here was strangely harder than in Celestia, but once he gained some altitude the resistance faded from difficult to merely annoying. His wings beat strongly until he had enough speed to soar for a time, then he collapsed them against his body to dive down out of the sky. At the last possible second they snapped open once more only to vanish like a mirage. He dropped the last few feet to the pavement, tucking and rolling upright into a casual stroll. An extremely practiced move.

Unlike most angels, Sasuke didn't like taking things slow.

Making sure his katana was glamered so it wouldn't be visible until he was ready to use it, the Dark Angel tilted his chin up to get his bangs out of his eyes and started walking. He knew from experience the vampire would see him, want him, and seek him out. It worked best this way if the vampire was currently entertaining, which they did frequently. They could oft be found at the center of some den of iniquity.

Sasuke found their behavior to be utterly repulsive.

It was only a matter of time before the vampire saw him, and it probably only took it a few seconds to decide its current playthings weren't as good anymore. It was ensconced at a booth in a seedy bar, and Sasuke walked in and sat at the bar. The humans were plenty predatory themselves, and the burly bartender gave him an inviting once-over. Sasuke ignored it and ordered a shot of Bourbon. No sooner had he slung it back than a frigid hand landed on his bare shoulder.

Vampires couldn't resist smooth, naked skin so Sasuke always wore sleeveless shirts to entice them.

"A beautiful boy like you shouldn't be in a dangerous place like this all alone," a cultured voice murmured way too close to his ear.

At least he couldn't feel the wash of hot breath. Apparently vampires had a saving grace after all. Managing to smile in a more innocent way than sardonic, Sasuke turned his head. It almost touched his nose to the vampire's. "A compliment and an insult, all in one comment," he mused. "Do I look helpless to you, Sir?"

A soft, rich laugh. It set Sasuke's teeth on edge. "As a doe fresh out of the forest," the vampire said. "Why don't I escort you?"

Sasuke let his smile sweeten. "You were with a whole crowd of people," he pointed out, "and I'm not like to join them. Nor should you abandon them on such whimsy."

"You, my beauty, are not mere whimsy," the vampire purred, cupping Sasuke's chin in death-cold fingers. "Those people of which you speak are simply passing amusement. You are . . ."

_The main course?_ Sasuke thought with an inner smirk. He lowered his eyelids, feeling his inky lashes brush his cheeks. "Please, no more flattery," he demurred. "I'll think you're trying to seduce me."

The vampire's lust and hunger could not have been more plain were he broadcasting with a flashing neon sign. "Sweet child," he breathed, leaning closer as if planning to kiss Sasuke. "Come with me. Let me take you somewhere more . . . private."

Sasuke let uncertainty and nervousness change his countenance. "I . . . don't normally go home with strangers."

Immediately, color and darkness swirled in the vampire's eyes. Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. _Can't get what you want so you'll just take it. Typical._ And their love of innocence made them all the more disgusting to him.

"I'll give you pleasure the likes of which you've never even imagined," the vampire murmured, lifting Sasuke's hand to brush his lips over the knuckles. "Come with me, my beauty, and let me worship that beautiful body of yours."

The power of his persuasive gaze wasn't anywhere near that of Naruto's. Sasuke tried to emulate a vacant, obedient expression as he nodded and let the vampire pull him off the barstool. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the bartender looking jealous. As if the fool had that right. He didn't resist the tugging on his hand, and before long they were lost amidst the twisted back alleys. Once, thrill-seeking or so-called 'dangerous' humans had always lurked in these dark places. Now they knew better.

Sufficiently out of sight of any windows, doors, or eyes, Sasuke wrenched his hand free. It was easy; the vampire wasn't expecting opposition. By the time surprised red eyes were on him once more he'd planted his feet in a defensive stance, katana in hand and sheath and belt discarded. He let a scornful smirk play over his lips.

"Play with me, vampire," he said, pitching his voice slightly higher with that innocent undertone. He spun the blade in a lazy, wide arc.

The creature's red eyes went dark again, and anger flared across its pasty, undead face. "A vampire hunter?" he said, voice filled with sarcasm. "Really? A child like you? Boy, you couldn't harm one hair on my head with that sword - which you're too small to carry. Why don't you let me take it off your hands, hm?" Color and shadow once more filled his eyes, a swirling vortex of persuasion.

Sasuke lifted one eyebrow. "It didn't work before. What makes you think it will work now?"

The colors faded with a look of shock. "What - ?" he began, then he recovered. Faster than most. "What are you, boy?"

"Do you really want to know?" Sasuke asked sweetly. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to play with me anymore."

A rude-sounding snort. "Shock and awe me," he said.

Sasuke shrugged. "You asked politely for a vampire." He took his true form, wings fanning out from his sides but displaying no agression. Not yet.

The red came back to dark eyes. Interesting. Usually his true nature caused the lust and hunger to run fleeing. The vampire licked his pale lips. "A Dark Angel," he whispered. "You must be terribly young, little one. Tell me, have you ever felt the kiss of a vampire?" He took a bold step forward. "Let me be the first to educate you." Another step. "Let me play with you until you're mad with desire." Another. "Until you can't think." One more. "Until you can't move." One last. "Until you're mine."

Sasuke lifted the katana so the flat edge rested over his shoulder. It was a rude way to handle the blade, but he thought she would forgive him just this once. This vampire was too fun. "How do you intend to make me yours? I can't be made a vampire. And I certainly can't let you kill me. My brother would never let me hear the end of it." He shuddered. _God. The bitching out would never stop._

The vampire extended a clawed hand. "Let me show you."

"I'm bored," Sasuke said, dropping into a half crouch, wings raising to an attack position. An angel ready to strike. "You're boring me. C'mon vampire. The least you can do is try to entertain me."

The vampire straightened, and the red in his eyes dulled a bit. "Mouthy child. I'll enjoy teaching you a lesson."

His tactic, unsurprisingly, was to rush Sasuke using Shadow magic. It made the vampire look like a being crafted out of darkness, and to most it would appear quite unsettling. Though Sasuke usually targeted vampires too weak to try something like this, he had seen it before. He sprang up, enormous wings sweeping out for some height, and he let Celestial magic flow down the blade of his katana. It formed into Banish, and he made a slashing motion.

This vampire wasn't as weak as others, nor as foolish in the face of an angel. He attempted to evade, and he was partially successful. Pain and anger contorted his face into a snarl, and he broke into a swarm of shadows. Sasuke immediately beat for the sky. Like the vampire he wouldn't understimate his opponent, and Shadow magic was perfectly capable of hurting him.

He could feel ice nipping at his heels, so he started flying in wild patterns, building up for another Banish. His wings snapped out when he was high above the city, stopping his upward climb and this time held his hands out in front of him, palm up, forming a shield to protect himself from the swarm. It deflected most of them, and the vampire coalesced into his true form with a hiss. Some of the shadows got past, and Sasuke had to grit his teeth against crying out. It wasn't nearly as bad as the shadow Orochimaru had infected him with, though.

He allowed himself to fall into a dive, feeling his way along Banish, trying to feel how it was different from his brother casting Soul Scream. First, it required more of a build-up. Turning in his dive, he once more let Celestial magic flow along his blade and swung it upward at the following vampire. He aborted his plunge and once more broke into a swarm.

_Shit_ If more than a few of those hit him, it would very likely knock him out of the sky. If he couldn't gain the upper hand, he'd be killed. If he was killed . . . _No way. No way will I be killed by a vampire who's not even an Elder._ He didn't need his brother. He certainly didn't need Naruto. _I'm a Dark Angel, son of a High General. The power is my birthright. I can and I **will** defeat this vampire!_

Ribbons of gleaming gold power trickled down the blade of his katana like water, pooling around the tip in a golden sphere. The swarm formed back into the vampire, tendrils of darkness slithering out from his body like curious snakes. In his hands formed a blade of shadow, exactly like the one Orochimaru had created. Sasuke couldn't help grinning as he launched himself at the vampire. Their blades clashed, and arcs of darkness and light danced off the weapons. The globe of light trickled down the blade now to coalesce around Sasuke's hands.

"You're one of the more skilled vampires I've fought," he congratulated the undead, disengaging to drive his whole body into his next strike. His wings fanned back for added momentum.

The vampire caught the blow and faded back from it, a smile of his own slowly forming. "I haven't had the chance to fight other angels," he said in conversational tones. "It would seem none of them are as . . . impetuous as you."

Blades locked, and Sasuke dared split his attention between their weapons and his spell. He seldom gathered this much power. No point. The ribbons of light were curling up his arms now, and the heady nature of this fight started going to Sasuke's head. _I'm fighting a vampire that could kill me. I think I'm doing pretty well._ The thirst for power drove him to more reckless heights, and he once more threw his weight against his blade, his wings beating furiously behind him.

"You won't ever have the chance again," he sneered, the ribbons of light curling up past his shoulders and starting to spread across his chest.

The vampire laughed, low and sibilant. "You're incredibly beautiful in your arrogant youth, Angel," he said. He didn't sound strained a whit. "Let's see how it lasts when I knock you out of the sky."

Suddenly, he broke into a shadow swarm. With no resistance against his katana, Sasuke went tumbling forward. He rolled, wings flailing to regain his balance in the sky, managing to right himself as the tendrils of shadow struck him right between his shoulder blades.

The pain was no less incredible than the first time he'd been infected by shadow. It froze his blood and drove all the air from his lungs, only to replace it with shards of ice. His vision went alarmingly hazy, and he felt himself falling. _No. NO. It can't end like this._ His wings stretched once more to their full length as he felt arms catch him. As cold lips descended on his neck, he managed to get both his hands and knees on the vampire's chest and shoved as hard as he could, wings sweeping forward to pummel the undead.

It succeeded in freeing him and putting a little distance between them, and Sasuke felt tendrils of shadow mixing with the ribbons of light creeping across his torso and up his neck. His mind was losing the ability to focus. This infection felt different. _It was a different spell, a different level of power. Focus. What did Itachi do? How did it feel? I still have enough power gathered to cast Soul Scream. Focus! Don't lose consciousness! It can't end like this!_

Desperation sent adrenaline surging through his veins, a bolt of liquid potency that gave him the strength to slow his fall, orienting his body toward the vampire. The creature was swarming toward him again, his eyes brilliant red and full of glee at his victim's losing the fight.

_Like hell. Die._

Shadow and light streamed down his arms, barely separate from each other as a beam of pure, raw power streaked from the tip of his outstretched katana and struck the vampire right in the center of his smug face. The scream echoed in the air like a ghostly memory as shadow shriveled in on itself and evaporated as if it never was.

Even as satisfaction at his victory filled him with relief and triumph, Sasuke realized he wasn't strong enough to stop himself falling. Not a single part of his body responded to his need to move. The force of impact would have made him scream if his mouth could open. Black feathers softly fell around him in a midnight rain, and he tasted blood. His eyes fluttered shut. His last thoughts melted away, _At least I took the bastard with me._


	7. Chapter 7

_Damn it, where the hell did that angel brat go?_ Naruto wondered, stalking through the mansion's halls. Normally he maintained an even temper when faced with the most obnoxious foes. Sasuke barely had to try to elicit all sorts of purely emotional responses. The kiss they'd shared two days ago had seemed like such a good start to the Elder. But the next day he was icier and more emotionally cut off than ever, rejecting even basic touch.

It was driving him crazy. He wanted _so_ much, he wanted to hold and cuddle and snuggle and kiss and pet and grope and writhe. He wanted to see naked skin, he wanted to touch it with no barriers. He wanted to see Sasuke sitting astride his hips with those luxurious black wings spilling all around him, Sasuke's eyes blazing with passion that melted the ever-present ice.

He liked the confused, hesitant Sasuke he'd kissed. That Sasuke was pliable. This rigid Sasuke was not. _I think he's right, there's something wrong with me. It had to be a Dark Angel. Why couldn't it have been a White Angel? They're calmer and gentler._ Even as the thought cropped up, he shot it down. No, it had to be Sasuke. It might make things less complicated if the kid was a White Angel (or better yet, another vampire), but no point in wasting energy wishing it were another way.

_Okay, seriously. Where the hell did he go?_

As the thought took shape, he felt a twisted kind of burst of power. It felt a little like Shadow magic, but something else was mixed in. It felt very similar to something he'd felt a _long_ time ago.

Soul Scream.

His body started moving before his brain issued any sort of command. Vanishing into a wisp of black shadow, he raced for the source. _Only Sasuke could cast Soul Scream. No other angel would come to Earth. Right?_ Even though he could eat ground ten times faster than running, it still felt like it took forever to actually find him. And his heart would have stopped dead were it not already . . . dead.

"Sasuke!" he exclaimed, materializing and racing toward the fallen angel.

Sasuke lay crumpled on the street, surrounded by black feathers. His wings were splayed in a gracefully broken sprawl, and blood had pooled around him in a shimmery silver fan. It was tragically beautiful. He knelt by the young angel's side, not sure where to touch. A metallic ribbon of blood ran from the corner of his mouth down the side of his neck.

"Shit, baby, what the hell did you do?" he muttered, feeling for a pulse and wanting to sob in relief when he found one. Too fast and thready, but there.

As carefully as he could, he slid his arms underneath Sasuke's shoulders and lifted the boy against his chest. He brushed back inky black bangs. To his surprise, the motion woke the angel. Ebony eyes were dull with pain, and a tremor racked the slender frame. He seemed shocked to find Naruto there, and his mouth opened and closed without a sound.

Anger and worry battled for dominance. "Can you take your human form?" he asked gently, saving the lecture for later. No sense kicking a dog when it was down.

He saw Sasuke's throat work for a moment, then the angel nodded. After several seconds the black wings wavered and disappeared. A handful of feathers drifted to the ground, most landing in the pool of silver blood. Bloodstained lips curved up in a smile.

"I did it," Sasuke croaked. "I cast Soul Scream."

He looked so ridiculously pleased with himself, given his condition, Naruto couldn't help chuckling. The anger evaporated into minor irritation. "Good for you, baby. Now would you stop being so Celestia-be-damned stupid? Your brother would probably murder me if you were killed by a vampire on my watch."

The boy let out a dry laugh that ended in a wet cough. More blood bubbled past his lips. "I fell," he whispered, sounding dazed.

"Fell?" Naruto repeated. "Fell where?"

Sasuke looked up at the night sky. "From there."

Worry ratcheted up to near panic. "Hang on, baby," he said softly, shifting Sasuke properly into his arms. "Let me know if I'm hurting you."

Sasuke didn't acknowledge that, just let his head roll to rest on Naruto's chest. Naruto hesitated over the feathers and the blood. Humans couldn't see them, but a vampire who tasted angel blood would become addicted and almost certainly come after his little angel. _Not that I need to hold back. If they do, I'll just fucking tear them to shreds._ Mind thus made up, he hurried back to the mansion.

The Dark Angel remained unnaturally silent, and that worried Naruto. Usually he had plenty to say. He didn't protest even when Naruto laid him on the bed and cut off his clothing right down to his black boxers. Those he left on. He'd really rather his first time seeing Sasuke naked be right before a very willing tryst.

The blood smeared all over his back and shoulders was deceptive; the abrasions were little more than surface wounds. The blood he'd coughed up was far more concerning. _I preferred the shadow infection,_ he thought grimly. Shadow magic wasn't the best for healing. Celestial magic was.

Black eyes were watching him. "I'll heal on my own," Sasuke said, voice low and a little slurred. "If I don't die, I'll heal. No complications, even."

Naruto gave him a flat look. "You're on Earth now, babe. It's a lot more complicated than you think."

He shook his head, coughed up a little more blood. "Not if I stay in my angelic form." So saying, he changed forms again. Apparently the effort cost more than he'd thought, because he promptly passed out.

Sighing, torn between love and severe annoyance, Naruto went and snatched up his cell phone. Sakura answered after only two rings.

"Is this important?" she asked, tone brusque. "I'm a little busy right now. We found a den of vampires, and they're responsible for about forty one human deaths so far, and it's taking up all my -"

"Sasuke's hurt," he cut her off.

A short pause. "How badly?"

"Really badly. Can you contact Celestia? I think he needs a White Angel."

She hissed a curse. "All right, I'll see what I can do. Being the leader of White Night has at least a few perks." She hung up without another word.

Naruto dragged a chair to the bedside, grabbed a bottle of water, and took the seat to maintain a silent vigil. When Sasuke regained his senses, he had the young angel drink some water. When he tried to move away, Sasuke grabbed his hand and tugged.

"Don't go," he slurred as if his lips were numb. "Don' wanna be 'lone."

A little surprised, Naruto sat on the edge of the bed and brushed damp hair off the angel's sickly-pale face. It was burning hot. "Okay," he murmured. "I'll stay right here. You feel like telling me what the hell you were thinking?" He made sure to keep his voice mild.

"I can' defeat an El'er wi'ou' Soul Scream, can I?" Sasuke pointed out, looking up at Naruto with unfocused eyes. They closed. "Ugh, I feel sick."

"Just lie still," Naruto said softly, stroking his face.

"I wa'n't tryin'a make you mad," Sasuke mumbled, turning into the touch. "Bu', I wanna surpass 'Tachi."

"Sure you do," Naruto agreed easily, gently clasping the hand that reached for him. "And I'm sure you will. But putting yourself in unnecessary danger won't accomplish that, little fool. How about you just believe me when I say that, and listen to me when I tell you not to do something, huh?"

Sasuke's bloody lips curled up in a smile, his eyelashes inky dark against his white cheeks. "Don' like you tellin' me wha' ta do. I don' need it."

Naruto chuckled, amused by this cute Sasuke despite the gravity of the situation. "You need it more than anyone I know. Stubborn little angel."

"Don' call me li'l."

Leaning forward, Naruto kissed the boy's hot forehead. "Stop arguing with me already, little _baka_. You should be resting."

"If I stop arguin', you'll know how I feel," Sasuke stated, eyes blinking open to give Naruto a very serious look before sliding shut.

Naruto's heart gave an odd little flip. "And what do you mean by that, hm?"

"Huh uh, li'e I'm gonna tell."

Squeezing the hand he was holding, Naruto lifted it to gently bite at Sasuke's knuckles. "Oh no, once you start you can't give me that."

A drunken-sounding giggle. "Can so. I can' tell you I like you. You'd be unbeara'le."

Naruto turned nibbles into soft kisses. "Just admit that to me when you're not out of your mind with pain," he ordered quietly. "Now stop talking and rest. A White Angel should be here soon to heal you."

Sasuke obeyed, but Naruto knew it wasn't because he'd been told. More likely he probably couldn't speak anymore, all his senses being absorbed by the pain. Naruto stayed by him, talking softly and hoping to distract him, until the angel came. While she worked, Naruto left the room and tried to think about how he'd face Sasuke when his little partner was better. _I can't let him keep acting like this. He's going to get himself killed._ And he knew how well that would be received.

_Next time,_ he thought ruefully, _I'm gonna have Celestia send a nice quiet angel who just does everything I say._ Then he shook his head. No matter what attributes, he'd never choose anyone over Sasuke. That stubborn, fearless self-confidence was just one of many reasons he was so foolishly, hopelessly in love.


	8. Chapter 8

"I don't know how he got to be so badly injured," she said, "but his father is holding you and Sakura responsible. He said you should be watching him more closely. And also warns you that if you let anything happen to his son, he will not let you walk away."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

Her soft green eyes were sympathetic and warm. "I'm sorry, Uzumaki-san. I hate to deliver someone else's reprimand. I'm sure you don't need to be lectured."

He grinned. "Nah, I'm a little old for that. Guarantee I'm at least a few centuries older than you."

Her smile was as warm as her eyes. "Yes, of that I'm certain. Sasuke-kun will be all right now with a little rest. He lost quite a bit of blood, and the magic he used weakened him. But he's a fighter."

"Amen," Naruto muttered. "Thanks for your help."

When she left, he dragged a chair next to the bed and spent the next several hours in silent contemplation. It'd been wonderful to hear the angel liked him, but he somehow suspected that would just make the stubborn kid even more prickly. He was determined to deny it to the end. And Celestia be damned, Naruto didn't know how to convince him to stay. To open up. To let himself be loved.

_Whatever else I feel or believe, angels and vampires aren't made for each other. He's way too young to leave Celestia on his own. He'd be hunted down and dragged back, and I'd be blamed. His high-and-mighty father would probably smite me with a good ol' Soul Recall. Fun, but no thanks._

A slight stirring made him refocus on the angel. Sasuke's ebony eyes fluttered open, and for several moments he looked confused. Then his dark eyes cleared and he slowly sat up. Naruto killed his immediate impulse to push him back down, because he knew that would get him a fight. Sasuke was too weak for that, so best let him sit up and keep the damage minimal. The angel winced, but otherwise he seemed fine.

"Hey," Naruto said quietly, smiling a little.

Sasuke looked at him, and his expression was softer than usual. "A White angel was here, huh?" he said.

By the sound of it, rhetorical. Naruto shrugged. "Celestia ignores me until I tell them you're hurt. Go figure."

Sasuke just nodded absently.

Sighing, Naruto stood up and started pacing. He folded his arms to help in resisting the urge to use them in harming the little fool in front of him. "Are you listening to me right now, Sasuke?" he said, voice low.

The young angel frowned. "You're not saying anything."

"I'm about to."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Fine, say what's obviously got a stick jammed up your ass."

_Patience_, Naruto counseled himself. "I want to know what you were thinking."

"When?" came the snide query.

"When you went after a vampire too powerful for you to handle on your own."

Both Sasuke's eyebrows went up. "Too powerful for me to handle? News flash, _baka_, I did handle him on my own. He's dead, I'm alive. Ergo, I handled him."

Naruto made a rude sound. "Barely. He almost killed you. If I hadn't found you, you'd be dead now. The worst failure in Celestia's history." Untrue and terribly unkind. But Naruto was angry, damn it.

The Dark Angel's ebony eyes flared with brilliant heat. "Fuck you, asshole!" he growled. "I didn't fail! I cast Soul Scream! I even managed to use a little shadow magic with my own. Could _you_ do that? I don't think so!"

Like it was even possible. Only angels could use Celestial magic. Naruto hadn't known, however, that angels could use shadow magic. The words gave him pause. "What are you talking about?"

Suddenly looking greatly smug, Sasuke folded his arms and leaned back. "That's right. The vamp got me with some shadow magic, and it was mixing with my own Celestial magic. I incorporated them both into Soul Scream." Then he looked disgruntled. "I'm . . . not sure I could do it again, though. Will you teach me how to use shadow magic?"

Of every possible direction he could have expected this conversation to go, that wasn't one of them. "You . . . really? You really think I'll do that? I already think you're an irresponsible little boy. As if I'd give you one more tool with which to get yourself killed."

Ah, there came the anger again. Even brighter this time. Sasuke threw the blankets off his legs, managing to get to his feet without falling. Naruto could see his legs trembling, though. And gods damn him, the first thing that went through Naruto's mind was how beautiful Sasuke looked in his anger, and how perfect and pale and long his legs were. Wearing only boxers meant that most of his flawless skin was on display.

_Shit, I'm so crazy for him._

"I'm leaving," the angel snarled, heading for Naruto and pushing past him.

Trying, anyway. Naruto easily caught and held him back. "You're not going anywhere in that condition. And why are you getting so angry and defensive? I asked you a simple question."

Surprisingly, Sasuke didn't fight his hold. He did, however, squirm until he could level Naruto with one hell of a vicious glare. "You didn't 'ask me a simple question'. You attacked me. You aren't my father, and I don't need your protection. I'm _not_ a child, and you have no right to tell me what to do!"

The anger being directed at him right now was a little different than what Naruto had thought it would be. He chose his words carefully. "You don't have a lick of common sense, baby," he said gently. "You're not in Celestia, you can _die_ here. I don't want that, and neither do you. I don't want to clip your wings, whatever you're thinking right now." He gripped Sasuke's chin between thumb and forefinger. "I want you to show those uptight bastards in Celestia that you're better than all of them. But you can't do that if you're dead, can you?"

Naruto had the tremendous pleasure of seeing his words throw the angel off balance. Pink rose in his cheeks, and his countenance glossed with embarrassment, pleasure, and surprise. He actually opened his mouth a few times to speak before closing it and trying again. Finally, low and mumbled,

"_Baka_."

Like a magnetic force he was drawn down, and he crushed Sasuke against his chest so he could kiss that uncertain mouth. It wasn't a polite kiss, his lips and tongue using centuries of experience to take immediate control, forcing Sasuke's mouth open. His tongue plunged inside, invading and demanding. Sasuke made a surprised sound, instantly trying to break away.

This time, just this once, Naruto didn't let him. His tongue chased Sasuke's in the angel's mouth, and he curled his around it to suck it into his own mouth. Sasuke let out a moan/whimper that nearly sent Naruto to his knees. He'd never heard such a sexy sound, and he had to open his eyes to see the boy's face.

Sasuke was flushed, eyes squeezed shut. After a few more moments of not responding, he suddenly uncoiled and wrapped his arms around Naruto's broad back, fingers clenching in the fabric of his shirt. He clung as if he couldn't support his own weight, mimicking Naruto's movements with his mouth. It was clumsy and wet, and Naruto felt a thin bead of saliva streak from the corner of Sasuke's mouth. He tracked it immediately, swiping it up with his tongue before once more covering Sasuke's mouth with his own.

This must be the heaven mortals dreamed about. This was more addicting than whatever meth or crack mortals were smoking these days. This was sweeter than honey and richer than wine and smoother than silk and hotter than the fucking sun. He could feel Sasuke's knees give out, and he kept the young angel upright. He bit at Sasuke's tongue and lips, fighting the heady-sweet temptation to bite too hard and let his fangs nick skin.

Eventually it occurred to him that even though he didn't, Sasuke still needed to breathe. He had to exercise a great deal of willpower to pull himself off Sasuke's mouth, feeling like a starving man devouring a feast. Sasuke gasped, panting like he'd run a marathon. His hands clutched weakly at Naruto's arms, his eyes glazed and mouth deliciously wet and kiss-bruised.

He doubted that if Sasuke wasn't injured the angel would be so complacent.

"I love you, you brat," he murmured, leaning down and kissing the angel's forehead. "Why can't you just behave?"

"Fuck you," the boy replied, the effect of his words somewhat lessened by his disheveled appearance.

He had to kiss him again. This one was a soft and sweet kiss, pushing his tongue past Sasuke's lips with gentle insistence rather than force. It seemed to return some strength to Sasuke, because he regained his feet and wound his arms around Naruto's neck. That simple action of acceptance sent a bolt of heat right to Naruto's groin, but he forced himself to keep it slow for now.

Seemingly of their own volition, his lips wandered across Sasuke's jaw. He lightly nipped the angel's earlobe, and he could feel a tiny shiver run up the boy's body. Had he ever been offered something that so deliciously wrecked his self-control? He didn't think so. Somehow he was now at Sasuke's neck, sucking on the ivory skin over his jugular. God _damn_ it, but the smell was so hot and sweet and fuck it would be so easy just to put his fangs to skin and bite down ever-so-gently . . .

"Naruto . . ."

Fuck. _Control, Uzumaki._ "I want to, baby," he breathed, the angel's young, wild scent completely overwhelming his greedy senses. He was already biting the boy, with only a little more pressure he'd be drinking ambrosia.

"Naruto," Sasuke whimpered. "Don't . . ."

He didn't give them permission. He really didn't. All on their own his hands cupped Sasuke's cute, pert little ass and lifted. The angel yelped, knees bending to grip Naruto's waist. Not quite what he wanted, but close. It allowed him to straighten and keep sucking on Sasuke's perfect neck. He was going to have one hell of a livid bruise. He couldn't stop. He tried. He really tried. Then Sasuke broke his remaining resolve by grabbing two fistfuls of his hair and yanking his face up to fuse their mouths together.

_Fucking bloody hell, he's hard. Oh my god he's aroused and he's grinding into me._ "Shit, baby," he panted into the kiss, "if you want to stop, bloody _stop_. I'm about gone."

"Stupid idiot," Sasuke growled, shoving his tongue into Naruto's mouth. He retracted it just as Naruto tried to suck on it. "This is your fault."

Certain parts of Naruto's anatomy were standing up and taking notice of Sasuke's state. The perfect little half-globes in his hands were such the perfect size. He squeezed, realizing his hands were beneath the thin material of the boxers. Even more perfect. He spread his hands, and Sasuke wrenched off his mouth, head tipping back with a delicious gasp.

"Stop," he choked.

Naruto could feel and hear his heart racing. The heat between them was incredible, and for several seconds he _couldn't_ stop. His head screamed at him to _wait_, to slow down. If he scared Sasuke off with thoughtless carnalism, he'd never get what he really wanted. He didn't want a fast and furious fuck and then never be able to touch the boy again. He wanted him forever.

So he gathered the fraying ends of his control and stopped.

He wanted to cry.

Sasuke, hands tightly gripping Naruto's shoulders, had his eyes closed as he breathed slowly and deeply for several moments. Gradually his heartrate began to slow. He opened those incredible ebony eyes, and the arousal had cleared.

"Put me down," he ordered softly.

Naruto did so.

Sasuke didn't immediately run, placing his hands flat on Naruto's chest and looking down. Finally he met Naruto's eyes. He looked . . . tormented. "We can't," he said.

That was all.

That wasn't good enough.

Naruto grasped his shoulders and shook gently. "Why not?" Soft and demanding, but not plaintive.

"You know why not."

"No," Naruto said, stubborn. "I know why everyone else says not. I want to know why _you_ say not."

The angel's resolve wavered. Naruto could see it. The boy almost said "Fuck it!" and jumped back into the vampire's arms. But the wall of ice finally came back up.

"Because I don't love you," he said, slapping Naruto's hands away. Turning, he stalked back toward the bed. "I'm tired. Please leave."

For a moment, Naruto almost believed him. When he closed the door behind him, his keen ears picked up a tiny sound that betrayed the lie. It was a little like a sob.

o0o

_"Shit, baby," he panted into the kiss, "if you want to stop, bloody _stop_. I'm about gone."_

Sasuke buried his face in his hands, breath hitching. He wanted to cry. He just wanted to cry. _I wanted him to do it, just then. I wanted him to hold me down and fuck me. I don't want this. I don't want to want him this badly._ The anger igniting passion between them, the sexual tension, the need and desire and need and want and _need_ . . . He'd come here to grow stronger, to surpass his brother.

Not to fall in love.

Drawing his knees to his chest, he rested his arms on them and rested his cheek on his arms. _This isn't what I came here for. I don't love him. I don't love him. I don't . . ._

Love him.


End file.
